The Abundant Life of Zack and Cody
by TouchedbyaMunster
Summary: What if Zack & Cody became believers in Jesus Christ? How would that change their lives? Based off John 10:10. Everyone's back at the Tipton Hotel when a Christian conference is happening. Set after TSLOD series finale. (Original Suite Life story from me, despite claims to the contrary from Dylan Sprouse's Twitter. lol)
1. Chapter 1

At the Tipton Hotel, Zack, Cody, Bailey, Woody, London, and Maddie were all sitting around the lobby.

"Alright everyone, I expect you all to be on your best behavior this weekend." Moseby said, coming up to them.

"Why?" Zack asked.

"I shouldn't need to give you a reason," Moseby said, "but it just so happens that a Christian conference will be happening here this weekend, hosted by the prestigious evangelist, Paul Roberts."

"Oh, are they gonna go around telling everyone they're going to Hell?" Woody asked.

"I'm told they're having Bible conferences with some Christian students in the area." Moseby said, "They won't be condemning anyone. Though if you get me angry, you'll be in your own personal Hell, I guarantee it!"

"Let's get out of here!" Zack said.

"Y'know Zack, that may be one of the first good ideas you've had," Cody said, "Bailey and I are going to the movies."

"Ooo, what are you gonna see?" Zack asked, in mock excitement, " _The Germ that Infected Manhattan_?"

"It just so happens we're seeing _Jurassic Wars 3: The Dark Age_." Cody said.

"Have fun guys!" Woody called, "Zack and I will just be hangin' out, chillin', reading comics, playing video games, doing what any guys our age with no girlfriends would do."

"I think that's about to change for one of us," Zack said, as he eyed a tall blonde girl at the registration desk. "Hey there, sweet thang!"

"Hi," she replied, "I'm Madison!"

"I'm Zack!" he said, "Wanna go see a movie?"

"Sorry," she said, "I'm here for the Christian conference, _Revolution_."

"Well, when God looked down on you and me, He saw that it was good," Zack said with a laugh.

"Sorry, I'm going to be late, and I need to find my room," she said.

"I can take you there!" Zack said, "Maybe give you a personal tour?"

"Perhaps some other time," she responded, "Later!"

"Woah man!" Zack said, coming over to Woody, "Did you see those bodacious babes? We have got to get into that conference!"

"What are you talking about?" Woody asked, "You never go to church, and you never read the Bible! You thought Noah's wife's name was Joan!"

"Can I help it if they both like Arks?" Zack said.

"C'mon Maddie, let's go shopping!" London said.

"You want to take me shopping?" Maddie asked.

"Of course," London said, "We haven't seen each other in years, plus your wardrobe's gotten pretty out-of-date by now."

"I just bought this yesterday" Maddie said. "But who cares? Let's go!"

As they were leaving, a familiar face walked in in the form of a short African-American boy.

"Marcus!" London exclaimed,

"Good to see you, London!" he said, giving her a hug, "And who's your attractive friend?"

"Her 'attractive friend' can speak for herself!" Maddie said, "My name is Maddie Fitzpatrick. I used to work at the candy counter here at the Tipton, but now Mr. Moseby has me in charge of check-in."

"Nice to meet you, Maddie." Marcus said, as he kissed her hand.

"Marcus!" Zack exclaimed, as he and Woody came up to him, "What are you doing here, man?"

"I'm on tour," Marcus said, "I'm part of a Gospel group now and I figured I stay here and catch up with old friends! I've performed with Kirk Franklin, Mandisa, Tobymac, but it's all for the Lord!"

"Hey, buddy," Zack said, placing his arm around him, "let's catch up! I've got the new Super Smash Bros Game upstairs!"

"I'm in!" Marcus said.

After Zack, Woody, and Marcus departed via elevator, Arwin Haukhauser, the hotel handyman came over to Mr. Moseby.

"Hey Mr. Moseby!" he said.

"Arwin!" Mr. Moseby said, "Have you made sure everything is in proper working order?"

"Oh, yes sir!" Arwin said. "Everything is functioning perfectly! The air conditioning is fixed and our new fully-automated vacuum cleaners are running smoothly."

"Why do I get the feeling some big technological disaster is about to happen?" Moseby asked with a hint of panic in voice.

"No need to fear, Sir." Arwin said, "You see, I just press this button on my remote control and the vacuum starts to work, see?"

A vacuum cleaner was automatically vacuuming the carpet in the lobby.

"I can even make it go backwards!" Arwin said. "Wanna see?"

"Please don't!" Moseby said, cringing.

"Uh-oh, the remote is jammed!" Arwin cried, "Run-away vacuum! Run-away vacuum!"

CRASH!

"Well, at least we're ensured!" Moseby said.

Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramierez walked through the door with his new wife, Francesca Consuela Maria Gonzalez de Masso Garcia Lucia Greenburg Ramon Gomez. He saw the chaos that was ensuing with Arwin's automated vacuum cleaner.

"This is a disaster!" he cried.

Muriel, the retired maid came in after him.

"I'm not cleaning that up!" she said.

"Muriel, Esteban, good to see you!" Moseby said.

"Hola Señor Moseby!" Esteban said, "Glad to help you now as assistant manager!"

"And I'm retired!" Muriel said. "If I'm lucky, I'll even get a date with William Shatner! I've got bingo in five minutes! Beam me up, Scotty!"

Later on, up in Zack & Cody's suite, Zack, Marcus, and Woody were playing video games.

"Later kids!" Zack's mom, Carey Martin said, heading to the door, "I have to go sing again tonight! Don't forget to feed yourselves!"

"Later mom!" Zack said hypnotically as he stared at the screen intensely focused.

"Woah!" Zack exclaimed, "Beat the new high score!"

"Dang it!" Woody whined, "Lost another life!"

All of a sudden they heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Zack said in monotone without even bothering to check who it was or even turn his head.

Bob walked in.

"Hey Zack!" he called.

"Hey Bob," Zack said, continuing to stare at the screen.

"Well, game over!" Marcus said, "Looks like you win again, Zack!"

"Wow!" Bob exclaimed, "Can I play?"

"Bob!" Zack said, "Nice to see you again, buddy! These are my friends from the ship, Marcus and that's Woody."

"Hey Bob!" Woody said, awkwardly waving to him.

"So guys, what've you been up to?" Bob asked.

"Nothing much," Zack said, "Chillin', gamin'. How 'bout you? Are you still with ol' Babs?"

"No," Bob said, "That ship has sailed. We broke up a month ago."

"Aw, that's too bad, man," Zack said.

"On the bright side, you can hang with us!" Woody said, "We all have no chance of getting girlfriends."

"What Woody means is Marcus is trying to help us woo Christian girls," Zack said.

"Hey, I never agreed to that!" Marcus said. "No Christian girl is gonna want to date you if you don't share her beliefs!"

"That's why you're here!" Zack said, "Just think of it as a theology crash-course."

"It doesn't matter how much you know about the Bible if it hasn't affected your heart." Marcus said.

"Well, I'm willing to keep an open mind, er, heart." Zack said, "Hey, Bob, have you ever read the Bible?"

"Zack, you know I'm dyslexic!" Bob said, "But I have been to Sunday school when I was growing up, and I have read a few books."

"Have you felt God move in your life?" Marcus asked.

"Well, to be honest, I've felt a change in my life recently. Ever since I broke up with Barbara, I've been praying more and I feel closer to God than ever before and I feel He's leading me down a new path." Bob said.

"Which is?" Zack asked.

"Well, as strange as it sounds, I kinda feel like God's calling me to the ministry field." Bob said.

"Wait, does that mean you'll be going to Africa?" Zack asked, "Say hi to my ex Maya for me if you visit Chad. And no, Chad's a country, not a surfer dude."

"No, Zack," Bob said, "I don't think I'll be going to Africa any time soon. I think God wants me to work here in America."

"Hey, you better go down to that conference, brother!" Marcus said.

"As a matter of fact, that's why I'm here!" Bob said, "Better go back down now, or else I'm gonna miss Bible study. See you guys later!"

"See ya!" Zack said, as Bob left. As soon as he was gone, Zack turned to Marcus, "Ok, Marcus, I'm ready. Let's go down to that conference!"

"You sure you're not only in it to pick up chicks?" Marcus asked.

"I mean, that's part of it," Zack said, "but I'm willing to check out the faith too."

"What about you, Woody?" Marcus asked.

"Any chance to do something besides lounging about and crying because my relationship with Addison didn't work out sounds good to me." Woody said. "I'm down."

"OK," Marcus said, "let's go get our worship on!"

Meanwhile, Cody and Bailey were just coming back from the movies.

"Wow, Bailey," Cody said, "That was a great movie! I loved when the Tyrannosaurus ate Dark Vaser's Doom Crystal!"

"Woah, spoiler alert!" Woody said, as he walked past them.

"Sorry," Cody said, "Woody, where you off too? The all-you-can-eat buffet for the fifth time today?"

"Hurtful!" Woody cried, "Actually, Zack, Marcus, and I are going to the Christian conference event."

"Well, that's unexpected," Cody said, "Especially from Zack."

"I think I wanna go," Bailey said, "I know you don't really believe, Cody, but I was raised in church. We went to a little church down the road every Sunday. Of course, we had to walk through cornfields to get to it though. They couldn't afford a parking lot."

"Ok, Bailey," Cody said, "Fine. It's not really my thing, though. I'll be waiting for you when you get back."

As they walked into the hall where the conference was being held, they were greeted by the sounds of music, which was mostly guitar and singing. Zack and Woody felt uncomfortable, while Bailey and Marcus reconnected with their faith during worship. After the worship time, the prestigious evangelist, Paul Roberts came out on stage. He was dressed in a black button-down shirt and blue jeans. He had long blonde hair and a beard.

"The Lord is worthy to be praised, is He not?" Roberts asked the students.

"Amen!" most everyone around Zack and Woody replied.

"Now, first I want to tell y'all about a time from my childhood." he said. "I was raised in an abusive home. My father drank a lot. I felt so worthless. On my eighteenth birthday, I attempted suicide but God had other plans. Just when I was about to pull the trigger, to bring about what I thought was a permanent end to pain, Jesus reached down into my life and grabbed hold of me. He said, 'Paul, I made you, and I love you! I have plans for your life. Will you trust Me?' I didn't know how to respond at first; I thought I was going crazy. The God who I had rejected and turned my back on for so many years was shining a light in my darkness and calling out to me in the midst of my despair. Jesus Christ rescued me and gave me a brand new life. Since then, I've committed my life to serving Him and I want to see people find freedom in His Name."

Woody didn't know what to make of this. Sure he was at odds with his stepdad, Steve, but his situation was nothing like Paul's. Why did he need to turn to Christ? He was living a good life, the suite life. Zack's parents were divorced and he bickered with Cody a lot, but he came from a pretty good home. He was livin' it up at the Tipton.

"Some of you here may be shocked at my story," Paul said, "You say, 'Pastor Paul, my family life is good, I'm living a good life. I never experienced the darkness you're talking about. Why do I need Jesus? What do I need freedom from?' You need freedom from sin. Everyone here, whether you know it or not, is in some form of bondage. You may think you have a good life now, but you will never truly enjoy your life until you surrender it to Him. Jesus promises abundant life. In John 10:10 Jesus says, 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.' Do you need abundant life today?"

"Amen!" Marcus joined in with the students.

"Some of ways some of you may be in bondage is in your relationships." Paul said.

 _Oh great! Here we go!_ Zack thought, _Preacher man's about to give relationship advice! I bet he's never even been with a girl!_

"If you're a Christian here today, and you're in a relationship with someone who doesn't share your passion for Jesus, this is what the Bible calls, 'being unequally yoked.' Second Corinthians chapter six, verse fourteen says, 'Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?' If you're in a relationship with someone who doesn't believe, you need to end it. Yes, it will be difficult, yes, I'm not saying you shouldn't love and care about them, but if they don't love the same God you love, then what's the point? They need to love Jesus before they can love you." Paul said.

This made Bailey squirm in her seat. She loved Cody, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but after renewing her faith in Christ, she could feel this was not the kind of relationship God wanted for her. Cody needed Jesus, and she knew she couldn't make him a believer, no matter how much she tried. She quietly snuck out before Paul finished speaking.

Later, Cody was in the hotel science lab, experimenting with Arwin.

"Thanks for letting me come down and test-run some of your inventions, Arwin!" Cody said.

"No problem, Cody!" Arwin said, "Ever since Mr. Moseby's foot got caught in that vacuum cleaner and he said for me to get a consultant or he'd fire me, I figured why not? Especially after you helped disable the SS Tipton's rogue computer system, CAILEY."

Suddenly, a knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Arwin called.

"Bailey?" Cody asked in surprised, "You're back early, aren't you? How'd you know I'd be here?"

"I knew I'd find you here." Bailey said. "You always did like work on experiments when you got bored. Anyway, I came because I needed to talk to you. Can we have a moment alone, please, Arwin?"

"Sure," Arwin said, as he quietly left the room.

"So, what's the matter?" Cody asked.

"Cody, at this conference the preacher was talking about a Bible passage about being unequally yoked with unbelievers. I wasn't too strong in my faith before, but this conference has rekindled the fire I once had for Christ. I'm sorry, but I think it's best for the both of us if I ended our relationship. I love you, but I can't be with someone who doesn't know the God I love. Good bye." Bailey said tearfully. She ran out the door as a confused Cody started calling for her.

"Fine!" Cody shouted, "I don't need you! And I don't need God!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cody sat in his room.

 _How could she do this to me?_ he thought, _I thought we were meant to be! First the breakup in Paris, now this! I thought our differences didn't matter. Why is God so important to her? Who needs God anyway? I'm a man of science and reason. God doesn't fit with intellect. Maybe this is just a phase. She'll welcome me back within the next month, and we'll compromise about faith issues._

Cody felt he was too smart for God. How could someone, let alone the girl he dated for over two years, believe in a Being that was no longer relevant to society, the stuff of children's fables? He had studied the works of Darwin, Dawkins, and Voltaire and came to the conclusion that God doesn't exist. Why was the woman he loved suddenly so passionate about a fairy tale?

As Cody pondered this, Bailey was in her room on her knees in prayer.

"Heavenly Father," she cried, "I know I haven't been living for You lately. Thank you for leading me back to You. You know I still love Cody, but I love You more. Help me to honor You even if that means breaking the relationship because I know it will do me good in the long-run. Lord, I pray for Cody, that You would stir his heart and reveal Yourself to him and that would experience the joy that comes from a relationship with You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."

Meanwhile, after the conference had finished for the night, Zack, Marcus, Woody, and Bob walked out the door.

"So guys, what'd you think?" Marcus asked.

"Man," Woody said, "I never saw someone leave that quickly like Bailey did. Either something really touched her, or she just really had to go the bathroom."

"It was kinda interesting," Zack said, "The preacher had a powerful story, but who's he to tell me how to do my relationships?"

A girl walked by.

"Hey sweet thang!" Zack said, "Do you want a crack at the Zack?"

She promptly walked away.

"See?" Marcus said, "You wanna hit on the ladies but you can't just go after a girl just because she's beautiful. Don't you want appreciate what else she has to offer? Her intellect, values, ambitions?"

Zack and Woody stared at each other for a moment then laughed.

"Good one, man!" Woody said.

"I'm serious guys!" Marcus said.

"Hey, weren't you the one hitting on Maddie earlier?" Zack asked. "She was supposed to be MY girlfriend, but it never worked out."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Marcus asked sarcastically, "And no, I wasn't hitting on her, I admire her beauty yes, as I do London, but really it's what's on the heart that lasts in a relationship."

"Well, if her heart's anything like her body then she's very sexy…and compassionate." Zack said with a smirk.

Marcus rolled his eyes, "You'll never get it, will you, man?"

Meanwhile, Cody came up to Mr. Moseby's desk.

"Cody, what can I do for you?" Moseby asked.

"Mr. Moseby, I need to leave for a bit." Cody said.

"What?" Moseby said, "This late? What would your mother say? Besides, you've got to manage the dining area with Chef Paolo in the morning!"

"I know," Cody said, "But he can take care of it. I just need to get away. Bailey and I aren't on good terms right now."

"Might I inquire as to what's wrong?" Moseby asked.

"Well, Bailey went to that conference and she doesn't feel like she should be with me because I don't share her beliefs." Cody said.

"Well," Moseby said, "Sometimes in a relationship, you just have to let the other person be. Not everything turns out the way we expect. Take Emma and I for instance…"

"You and Ms. Tutwiler, I mean, Mrs. Moseby?" Cody asked.

"Yes," Moseby said, "She and I still love each other, but we're giving each other our space. We both need to grow as individuals, apart from each other, so that we can be stronger together. Give Bailey her space and consider compromises both you and her may have to make if you want to continue your relationship."

"What, you mean destroy her faith?" Cody asked, "She'd never want me after that. And I'm not about to embrace Jesus."

"No, you find things you two have in common, and embrace that." Moseby said. "Over time, she may tone down her faith a bit, or you might even come to faith."

"Thanks Moseby," Cody said, "I'll consider what you've said. But I'm still taking the next train out of here!"

Later, as Bailey walked slowly down the hall, contemplating her thoughts, she ran into London and Maddie.

"Hey Bailey!" London exclaimed, "Where you headed? Back to Kettlekorn for your Mulch Festival?"

"No, London," Bailey said, "I'm going down to see Cody. I have to speak with him. Besides, the Mulch Festival isn't until next month!"

"Oh no!" Maddie said, "Are you guys gonna break up?"

"Oh no!" London said, "I have to be around you for another month?"

Bailey rolled her eyes as she turned to Bailey, "I honestly don't know where our relationship is headed right now, but I feel a strong conviction that I need a break."

"Well, good luck," Maddie said, as she embraced Bailey in a hug.

"Thanks Maddie," Bailey said. She then headed toward the elevator.

"Crush his lying, lowdown, cheating heart!" London called. She then turned to Maddie, "You know they broke up in Paris on top of the Eiffel Tower right?"

"Guess they won't always have Paris." Maddie said. "I hope things work out for them though."

Down in the lobby, Bailey came over to Mr. Moseby's desk.

"Mr. Moseby," she said. "I was looking for Cody. Have you seen him? I need to speak with him."

"Uh-oh," Moseby said.

"What do you mean?" Bailey asked nervously.

"Well," Moseby said, "I don't know how to tell you this, but Cody just left and is headed for the nearest train station."

"What?" Bailey asked in disbelief, "Did he say where he was going?"

"No," Moseby said, "Just that he needed to leave town for a while to collect his thoughts."

"I need to go after him!" Bailey said.

"Shall I call you a cab?" Moseby asked.

"Yes, thanks." Bailey said. She walked over and sat down on a couch in the lobby.

"Ah, young love." Moseby sighed. As Moseby was calling a taxi, Bailey tried to call Cody on her phone.

"C'mon, Cody, answer!" she yelled. It went to voice mail. "Hi, Cody, I know you're mad, but when you get this message please call me back. I still love you, but we need to talk and set things straight." She hung up the phone and slunk down in despair. Placing her face in her palms, she started crying.

"Hey, are you ok?" Madison asked as she walked by.

"No, I'm not." Bailey said.

"Wanna talk about it?" Madison asked. "I'm Madison, by the way. I'm staying here for the conference this weekend. I think I saw you earlier."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Bailey. It's just that I'm going through a rough time with my boyfriend right now."

"Aw, I'm sorry," she said, placing her hand gently on Bailey's shoulder. "May I sit down?"

Bailey shifted her position on the couch to make room for her. "Pastor Paul's sermon really moved and convicted me," Bailey said. "I was raised in a Christian home. We went to Sunday school, read the Bible, but over the years I kind just drifted away from church life and God. The passage about being 'unequally yoked' really stuck with me, and I felt God speaking to me, that I needed to end my relationship with Cody. It's hard because I really love him, but I know if we continue this, and get married, having two different belief systems and worldviews could often create conflict and I don't want to be at odds with my husband over what's really important to me."

"I understand," Madison said, "I get it. A year ago I was in an abusive relationship. I didn't want to leave him at first, but finally something he did helped me see it was time to end it before it was too late. It was then that I found Jesus. Since then, I'm trying to live for Christ and I want to glorify Him in my relationships. If he can't see your passion for the Lord, then I'm sorry, honey, but he's not worth your time."

"It's just that Cody and I have been through a lot together, and I don't want to make him feel like I don't care about him." Bailey said.

"Do you want me to pray with you?" Madison asked.

"Would you?" Bailey asked.

"Of course." she replied. She grabbed Bailey's hand as they both bowed their heads and shut their eyes. "Lord, I pray for my sister Bailey, right now. I pray that You help her find the right relationship that You have planned for her. Help her to continue to follow Your calling for her life. I pray also for her boyfriend Cody. I pray that You would stir his heart. Reveal Yourself to him in a way that will allow him to recognize You and realize Bailey's passion for You and the amazing plans and promises You have for the both of them. God, I pray Your Spirit would move throughout this place and transform the lives of the students at the conference, including our own. Help us to radiate Your compassion for the lost and the broken, and that they would see Your love through us. Help us to remember that no matter what happens, You are always good and always in control. Amen!"

"Amen," Bailey quietly repeated.

"Bailey, your taxi's here!" Moseby called.

"Thanks Mr. Moseby!" Bailey said, "And thank you so much, Madison! Your prayers mean a lot."

"No problem, girl!" Madison said, "God is with you! Godspeed!" Bailey got into the taxi.

As soon as she left, Pastor Paul Roberts came up to Mr. Moseby.

"Hello!" Moseby said, "How are you enjoying your stay at the Tipton so far, Mr. Roberts?" Moseby asked.

"Please, call me Paul," he said, "And I really like it here. Thank you for allowing us to use this venue for our students."

"Think nothing of it," Moseby said.

"How are things going tonight?" he asked.

"Fine," Moseby said, "Especially since I don't have those hooligans running around causing trouble! I see you, Zack, Woody, and Marcus!" Zack, Woody, and Marcus came out from behind a tall plant.

"Looks like the jig is up!" Woody said.

"Don't worry, Mr. Moseby," Zack said. "We were just…"

"…Going down to the buffet!" Woody said.

"That buffet is for paying guests only! You live/work here so you don't count!" Moseby said.

"That's ok, Mr. Moseby," Roberts said, "They can use my buffet pass! I won't need it!"

"Really?" Woody asked with excitement.

"Sweet!" Zack exclaimed, "You rock, dude!"

They ran off towards the buffet.

"You didn't have to do that," Moseby said.

"Oh that's ok," Paul said, "It's no problem. I love helping people out."

"You don't understand," Moseby said, "Those kids will eat the whole buffet now!"

"Well, at least you won't have to worry about throwing anything away!" Paul laughed, "On another note, I don't mean to pry but I heard there was a girl here earlier who left and she seemed troubled. I was just wondering if there was anything I could do."

"Oh, you must mean Bailey," Moseby said, "She went after her boyfriend who left earlier."

"Oh, I'll be praying for them," Paul said, "Relationships can be tough."

Meanwhile, at the buffet, Zack, Woody, and Marcus were getting food when they heard a familiar voice.

"…So in this passage, Jesus is saying that in order for us to follow Him, we need to trust Him completely."

"Bob?" Zack asked, "Is that you?"

"Yeah," Bob said, turning around in his seat, "I'm leading Bible study tonight. Wanna join us?"

"No thanks," Zack said. "Wait, you're leading a Bible study? But you're dyslexic!"

"Thanks for pointing that out, Zack!" Bob said sarcastically, "I just felt God calling me to lead it and He's helping conquer my insecurities and realize I don't have to let my dyslexia hold me back. Are you sure you don't want to join us?"

"That's ok," Zack said.

"Yeah, there's a vat of baked chicken just waiting for us!" Woody said, "And prime rib too!"

"C'mon guys," Marcus said, "You haven't seen Bob in years, Zack, give it a chance!"

"OK, fine!" Zack said, "But only if we can hang out later and play video games!"

"Deal!" Bob said.

"So what're you guys studying?" Marcus asked.

"Well, we're examining the passage of Jesus walking on water." Bob said, as a couple other students handed Zack, Marcus, and Woody some Bibles. "You guys were on a boat for a few years, right?"

"Yeah," Woody said, "One time we got stranded on a desert island and another time we were sinking to the bottom of the sea in a submarine."

"Glad I wasn't there either time." Marcus said.

"Well, anyway, this passage talks of how Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat and go to Jesus, but once he talk his eyes off Christ, he started to sink." Bob said.

"So you're saying that if we had prayed, we would've got off that island or got that sub to the surface quicker?" Zack asked.

"Maybe," Bob said, "People who have faith and trust in God can do things they never thought possible. God doesn't always take us out of storms, but He always gives us the strength to get through them. In Mark chapter 14, the disciples are afraid when they first see Jesus out on the water, but He calms their fears, and Peter goes out to meet Him but gets scared again. Even though Peter let fear get the better of him, his act of courage to get out of the boat, caused the other disciples to believe. So, do you need to step out of the boat today in faith? Do you feel Jesus is calling you? Are you receptive to His voice?"

"I don't know," Zack said, "I'll have to think it over. I've never really considered this before."

"Right now, the only thing I'm receptive to are the jelly doughnuts over on the dessert tray!" Woody said.

Marcus rolled his eyes. Meanwhile, Cody had just received his train ticket and was about to board a train to another unknown destination. Bailey had just arrived in her taxi.

 _C'mon Cody,_ she thought, _Please be here! I need to talk with you!_ She heard a train whistle and someone shouted, "All aboard!" Cody got on the train. Bailey went up to the ticket booth at the station.

"Excuse me," she asked the woman behind the counter, pulling out a photo of her and Cody, "Did you see a boy who looks like this board this train?"

"I'm sorry, miss, but we're not allowed to give out that information." she said.

"But he's my friend and I need to talk with him!" Bailey said.

"I'm sorry, miss, but there's nothing I can do." she said.

Bailey rushed outside. The train started moving when she saw Cody reading a book through one of the windows. She started waving frantically at him but he didn't even look up. She hung her head in despair.

 _What do I do now, Lord?_ she prayed.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Have faith, Cailey shippers! They won't be apart forever! Stayed tuned for the conclusion.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

At the train station, after prayer and careful consideration, Bailey picked up her phone and dialed a number. "London, it's Bailey," she said, "Bailey Pickett. Your roommate for 3 years on the SS Tipton? Yeah, I need you to come pick me up at the train station. I'll dog-sit Ivana for you. No, I won't actually sit on her. OK, thanks, bye. See you soon."

Later on, they arrived back at the Tipton.

"Thanks for helping drive, Maddie," Bailey said, "I thought London was gonna plow into that group of senior citizens for a moment there. That would've been worse than when Grammy Pickett fell into the pigs' feeding trough back on the farm and was nearly tromped to death."

Maddie and London gave her confused and slightly horrified looks.

"Don't worry, Ol' Grammy's got a strong back from the old days of doing all the farm work before equipment was invented," Bailey said.

"Well, London's not that experienced of a driver ever since Mr. Moseby's driving lesson." Maddie said.

"Maddie, how many times do I have to tell you, I know how to use the PRNDL!" London retorted.

"So what's the matter?" Maddie asked, ignoring London, "What happened between you and Cody?"

"Well, I tried to chase after Cody and got to the train station but he already left and I tried to call him earlier, but I figured it was fruitless to continue chasing after him, so I came back here. I just wanted him to know that it's not that I don't care about him, it's just that I don't want to be in a relationship with a guy who doesn't share my faith." Bailey said.

"Well, it's ok, Bailey," Maddie said, "I've never had a relationship of conflicting faiths and I don't know if I'd be that concerned about it if I did, to be honest, but if your faith's important to you, I understand."

"It's ok, sweetie," Carey Martin said, coming over, "I heard the whole thing. Cody's sensitive, but if you feel that he's not meant for you, you should move on. I dated this guy in high school once, and while faith wasn't an issue for us, I really loved Neal Diamond and my boyfriend couldn't stand him, so therefore we had to break up."

"Over Neal Diamond?" Bailey asked.

"Hey, you have your deal-breakers and I have mine!" Carey said.

"Hey Carey!" Arwin called, "I love Neal Diamond!"

"Not gonna happen, Arwin!" Carey called back.

"Thanks Mrs. Martin," Bailey said, "It means a lot!"

"Any time, honey!" Carey as she put an arm around her.

Madison walked up to her.

"Hey, can I talk to Bailey for a minute?" she asked.

"Sure, go right ahead!" Carey said, "I've got to head to rehearsal anyway. See you girls later!"

"Bye!" they said, waving.

"Are you ok, Bailey?" Madison asked.

"Well, Cody left me," Bailey said, "I tried to find him to explain how I really felt, but he's gone."

"Oh, Bailey, I'm sorry!" Madison said, putting her arm around her, "I know this is tough, but I'm here for you, girl, and God is always with you too. Let's pray."

They grabbed hands and bowed their heads as Madison prayed.

"Father, we know you are working on Cody and we ask You to stir his heart and send someone to minister to him in his time of need. Let him feel Your presence, Lord. Amen."

Meanwhile on the train, a man came up to where Cody was sitting.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" he asked.

"No," Cody said, "Go right ahead." The man sat down next to him.

"Nice to meet you," he said, "I'm Chuck Matthews."

"Cody Martin," Cody said, shaking his hand.

"So where you headed?" Chuck asked.

"Don't know yet," Cody said, "but far away from here, that's for sure."

Meanwhile, back at the Tipton, Zack, Marcus, Woody, and Bob were chilling up in Zack's room.

"So Bob," Zack said, "I was wondering, you never really told us what happened between you and Barbara? I mean, what caused this change in you?"

"Y'know Zack," Bob said, "I'm glad you asked. Things were tough for a while, but God eventually got hold of me and turned life upside down. Things with Babs didn't go so great in the end. I made some terrible choices, betrayed her trust, and we had to end it. I forever regret my decision. I was alone and broken, full of pain and regret and that's where Jesus met me. One month ago today I committed my life to Him. He reached into my brokenness and made me a new Creation. I was about to say goodbye to this world, when I heard an audible voice say, 'Bob, this isn't your time. I still have plans for you.' I obviously didn't kill myself, but I was confused. Who had plans for me? Whose voice did I hear? Then I was invited to church on Sunday and I heard the pastor talk about the Holy Spirit and I knew I was meant to hear it. I was baptized and now I seek to honor Christ in all I do."

"Wow," Zack said, "That's amazing! God really changed your life, but I still don't see what it has to do with me."

"Zack," Bob said, "You may not have had as bad of a time as I did, and things may be going pretty great for you right now, but when you're on your own and down to nothing and things are going bad for you, where do you turn?"

"I just like to have a positive mental attitude," Zack said, "It puts things in perspective."

"That may be," Bob said, "You can think positive all you want, but when faced with an unbearable situation, positive thinking won't help you. You need to something to calm your soul, and that can only be found through a relationship with Christ."

"Y'know, Zack," Marcus said, "Before I left the ship, I wasn't really living for the Lord, either. After my single was released, I was living it up, having a blast, partying, even started doing drugs. But God took hold of my life, kicked me off my high-horse, and it was then that I truly realized who I was in relation to Him and recommitted myself to following Him. I was a wandering soul but God welcomed me back with open arms. He's waiting for you to come to Him so He can embrace you. He loves you, Zack. He gave His life for you. "

"Zack, do you consider yourself a good person?" Bob asked.

"Yeah," Zack said, "I mean, I know I bug Cody every now and then but I'm a pretty nice guy."

"Have you lied?" Bob asked.

"Oh, you can't count the number of times I've lied to Mom and Moseby." Zack said.

"That's violating God's law," Bob said, "Have you fantasized about girls?"

"Who wouldn't?" Zack asked.

"Even though you're not married, you've already committed adultery in your heart." Bob said. "Have you ever stolen anything?"

"I took some cash from Cody a few times," Zack said.

"So, you admit you're a lying, adulterous thief," Bob said, "What do think God will say when you stand before Him when you die? Based on the Bible, wish says that liars, thieves, and adulterers will not inherit God's Kingdom, where do you think you'll go?"

"Hell?" Zack asked.

"You're correct," Bob said, "but that doesn't have to be your fate. You can go do Heaven. Do you how?"

"Not really," Zack said, "I have to believe in God, is that it?"

"You have to believe that God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins on the cross and die so that you could have eternal life. You have to trust in Jesus, repent of your sin and follow Him for the rest of your life, no matter the cost. Are you ready and willing to do that?" Bob said.

"I don't know," Zack said, "I'll get back to you on that."

"When you're ready, I'm here if you need to talk to me." Bob said.

Meanwhile, on the train, Cody chatted with his fellow passenger.

"So, Cody," Chuck said, "What do you do? Are you in school?"

"As a matter of fact," Cody said, "I tried to get into Yale, but they rejected me. I did get into Princeton though."

"Wow," he said, "That's very prestigious. Is that where you plan on getting off?"

"I guess so," he said, "Maybe. I'm not sure, really."

"You have to have a destination if you're on here," Chuck said, "You know, sometimes, we get lost in life, we don't know where to turn or what direction to take, but I find that when I lack direction I always tend to look up."

"Of course!" Cody said, "My compass! It always points to the North Star! My mom gave it to me to use whenever I get lost."

"No, actually I was talking about the One who made the stars, who made us and loves us." Chuck said.

"You mean, God, don't you?" he said. "If you're another of these religious folk who want shove your ideas about 'God' down my throat, then forget it. I don't want to be preached at."

"I didn't come here to preach to you, Cody," Chuck said, "I came to offer hope. I can see you're a man who's very lost and lonely right now. Just run to the arms of your Heavenly Father and He'll lead you home. He can be your hope amidst the darkest of storms."

"Well, it's storming pretty badly right now." Cody said.

"What's preventing you from turning to Him?" Chuck asked.

"I just can't believe in a God who would allow terrible things to happen. My girlfriend, or maybe ex-girlfriend- believes, but I just have too many doubts."

"Your girlfriend has taken a step of faith," Chuck said, "I suggest you do the same. You may have doubts, but God will shine brighter. He will enlighten your soul and you'll learn to trust Him. He loves you so much, Cody. And he loves Bailey, too."

Cody eyes grew wide.

"How did you know her name?" he asked, "You're not an an—"

"No, I'm not," he said, "As a matter of fact, I'm actually Bailey's uncle."

"She never mentioned you." Cody said.

"That's because it's too painful. I was very close to my family when I was younger. But eventually I started drinking and getting into fights. I moved away from Kettlecorn ten years ago, and I'm headed back there now to make peace with family and seek forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation. I found God after I left, and He helped me sober up and realize the truth about myself: that I am nothing without Him. He's given me abundant life, Cody, and wants to give the same thing to you."

"Great story, but I think I can handle things on my own." Cody said.

Suddenly, they jolted back in their seats, as they heard a loud noise. The conductor's voice came on over the speaker.

"Attention passengers! Please remain calm! The brakes are not working, and we've entered into emergency mode. If you pray, I suggest you start."

"I don't wanna die without telling Bailey how I feel!" Cody cried, "Oh God, please save us!"

The train started going faster. Just when they thought these would be their last moments on earth, suddenly, the speeding train started to slow, and they came to a complete, easy stop at the next station.

"I guess He heard you," Chuck said.

"I guess He did," Cody said. "You know, you're right. God was watching over me. This experience has taught me that. I want experience that abundant life. I'm ready to give my life to God."

"Ok," Chuck said with a smile, "let's pray together."

A few hours later, back at the Tipton…

Bailey, Madison, Maddie, and London were all up in London's room getting personal spa treatment.

"Thanks London," Bailey said, "This is just what I needed to forget about Cody."

"Don't mention, Bailey," London said, "Daddy lets me do this whenever I want."

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.

"Can we join?" came a familiar voice. London opened the door to see Carey Martin and Mrs. Moseby standing before them.

"Ms. Tutwiler?" London asked, "Where'd you come from?"

"Marion sent me on vacation," Emma Moseby said, "And it's Mrs. Moseby now."

"Still don't know what he sees in you." London said.

"OK, I'm gonna pretend that didn't hurt my feelings." Emma said.

"We heard you were having a girls' night, and we thought we could join." Carey said.

"In case you haven't heard, this is 'girls' night' not 'wrinkly old hags' night!" London said.

"Ok, now she's hurting both of our feelings." Carey said.

"London!" Maddie scolded, "It's fine, Carey. You're more than welcome to join us."

"Thanks girls!" Carey said, as she and Mrs. Moseby hugged them.

"I see you didn't give up your cats, Mrs. Moseby," London said, "You're getting cat hair all over me!"

"Yeah, Marion doesn't like when Mittens claws at his face." Emma said, "And you should've seen him when Tabitha clawed up his pocket hanky collection! I almost thought he was going to file for divorce. Marion made me get rid of 20 of my cats. It was so hard to part with Isis, especially since she had her claws embedded in my leg! I didn't declaw any of them."

"Hope they've all had their shots!" London muttered.

"Thank you for supporting me, Mrs. Martin & Mrs. Moseby." Bailey said.

"You're welcome, sweetie!" Carey said.

"Don't worry Bailey, I know that breakups can be tough," Emma said, "even though I found a man who treats me right. I hope the same for you."

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door.

"Bailey, I need to speak with you!" Cody shouted through the mahogany frame.

"Well, that escalated quickly!" Emma said.

Bailey opened the door.

"Cody, you've come back!" Bailey said.

"Yeah," Cody said, "Bailey, I was wrong. It was wrong of me to turn my back on you just because of your faith, and I know you have reservations about dating someone who doesn't share your beliefs, and I want you to know I understand now. I've found God!"

"Seriously?" Bailey asked with excitement in her voice, "You're not joking?"

"Thank you, Lord!" Madison silently whispered as she looked heavenward.

"Let's find some place to talk, and I'll tell you everything." Cody said.

"But what about girls' night?" Emma asked, "I made kitty sweaters for everyone!"

"Oh, give it a rest, Catwoman!" Muriel shouted, bursting in, "Now let's get this party started right!"

Muriel started playing disco music and everyone started dancing while Cody and Bailey left.

Cody and Bailey found a quiet spot in the lobby.

"So, Cody," Bailey said, "fire away."

"Fire?!" Arwin shouted, "Where?!" He started running around and screaming incoherently.

"Ignoring him," Cody said, "What I mean to say is, as I was on the train, some guy sat next to me. He told me his name was Chuck and I told him who I was and that I didn't know where I was going."

As Cody was talking, Zack, Marcus, Woody, and Bob came downstairs.

"Anyway," Cody continued, "I told him I got accepted into Princeton but that I was still lost. He shared his faith with me. At first, I didn't want to hear it, but then he told me God loves me and God loves you. I asked him how he knew you since I didn't mention you or our breakup. He said he's your uncle, Bailey."

"What?" Bailey gasped. "Uncle? Uncle Chuck? I vaguely remember an Uncle Chuck, but that was years ago. He was a bum, from what I remember."

"He was an alcoholic," Cody said, "He got into trouble and left Kettlecorn, but then he found God and God changed his life, just like He changed mine today. Anyway, right after he said this, the conductor announced that the breaks weren't working and that the train was going out of control. I prayed for God to stop the train; I didn't want to die. Just when I thought I was about to meet my end and never see you or any of you again, the train stopped. I know God was looking out for me and answered my prayer. And now, I'm gonna honor Him. I love you, Bailey." They kissed.

"All because of a run-away train?" Zack asked.

"Yeah, Zack," Cody said, "The conductors didn't know how it stopped, but it came gently to a stop and no one was badly injured. I didn't believe in divine intervention before today, but I can really sense God's presence now."

"You know something, Cody," Zack said, "I can tell a change has truly come over you. You seem more peaceful and joyful. I want some of that. Ever since I broke up with Maya, I've been trying to go after girl after girl, but I just felt empty inside. Can God really bring me joy?"

"Yeah," Cody said, "He did for me. Don't you want abundant life?"

"Yes!" Zack said.

"Then turn to Christ!" Cody said, "He loves you and wants the best for you. It doesn't mean life will be easy, but I know it will be worth it!"

"God," Zack said, looking up, "Jesus, if You're there, I ask You to come into my life today. I thought I could handle things on my own, but I just felt so empty inside. I know I've done wrong, but I ask You to make me whole. I want to turn from that and follow You!"

His watching friends got tears in their eyes.

"What happened?" Zack asked, "Aren't I supposed to feel different?"

"'Fraid it doesn't work that way, son." came a voice.

"Uncle Chuck?" Bailey asked.

"Yep, it's me," Chuck said, "Finding Jesus doesn't magically solve all your problems, Lord knows it wasn't like that for me, but if you seek Him daily, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him, you'll truly find abundant life as you find out what God has planned for you."

"Thank you, Mr. Matthews," Cody said.

"Don't thank me, it was the Lord's doing. I'm just His servant." Chuck said, "And y'all can call me Pastor Chuck now. I recently finished seminary and was just ordained. Would you kids like to be baptized?"

"Wait, didn't we already get baptized as babies?" Zack asked.

"Yes, but now you're baby Christians!" Chuck said, "You've been born again by the grace of God and baptism is a public declaration of your faith."

"In that case, we'd like to be baptized," Zack said.

Later on, at a nearby lake…

Chuck went out to the middle of the lake with Zack, and Pastor Paul took Cody.

"Do you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for your sins, and will you trust Him daily all the days of your life?" Chuck asked.

"I will!" Zack said.

"Then Zachary Martin, by the power invested in me, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!"

Everyone applauded and shouted for joy as Zack was baptized.

Pastor Paul asked Cody the same question.

"I will!" Cody replied.

"Cody Martin, by the power invested in me, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!"

Everyone cheered and applauded as Cody came out from the water as well.

London stopped to consider this for a moment. "Oh, why not?" she said, "Baptize me too!"

"London, you really want to do this?" Bailey asked.

"Yes!" London said, "My daddy gave me lots of money, but he's never really been there for me. I want a Daddy I know I can always talk to, even if I can't see Him."

"London Tipton," Pastor Paul said, "Do you trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, do you believe He is the Son of God who died for your sins and will you seek to follow Him all the days of your life? If so, say, 'I will.'"

"I will!" London said.

"Then London Tipton, by the power invested in me, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!"

Everyone cheered and applauded as London came out of the water.

Later, back at the Tipton…

Marcus and Bob came up to Zack and Cody.

"We're so proud of you guys!" Marcus said, "We've been praying for you. Welcome to the family, brothers!"

"What about you, Woody?" Bob asked. "Don't you want to experience this too?"

"Religion's not really my thing," Woody said, "But I'll always support you guys, though! Let's put it this way, I considered myself an atheist before, but after today I'll consider myself and agnostic. Not sure if God exists, but something definitely changed your lives, that's for sure!"

"So where do you boys plan to go from here?" Mr. Moseby asked.

"Well, we've got quite the journey ahead of us," Cody said, "But we're going to trust God's leading."

"Cody and I are going on the mission field," Zack said, "but we're staying in the country. We're helping an organization of underprivileged youth and London has agreed to help us."

"I'm finally realizing what good I can do with my money, after all, today has helped me realize that everything has been a gift from God." London said.

"I'm proud of you, London," Moseby said, "And I'm proud of you boys, too!"

"Thanks Moseby!" Cody said.

"Marion!" Emma shouted, "It's time to give the cats their baths!"

"Oh dear!" Marion exclaimed, "Pray for me!"

"Don't worry," Zack said, "We will!"

"Now let's go see the world, and the great adventure God has for us!" Bailey said, as she embraced Cody and they walked off together, confident in the joy of the Lord.

The End

Author's Note: Although this story and the characters in it are fictional, the power of God is quite real, and what was talked about in this story can happen. You can experience abundant life in Christ! It doesn't always mean life will be easy, or that you won't face difficulties and heartache, but God will see you through because He loves you! If you'd like to begin a relationship with Jesus, talk to me and I can point you to resources that can help you experience this abundant life.


End file.
